master’s degree
Electrical Engineering
Welcome to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science! For us the world is flat. Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science have created a level playing field for science and innovation where national boundaries and time zones are irrelevant. Mathematics is at the heart of this; without optimization algorithms and simulation of processes with many variables, the internet would still be a pipe dream. Without the cost-effective and time-effective protocols developed by computer science engineers, computers would not be connected and without electrical engineering, electrical or optical signals would not process our information. That much is obvious... Prof.dr.ir. Ton Mouthaan, dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science What’s not so obvious is the next phase: truly seamless integration of technology with human behaviour... cost-effective health support at home... optimization of systems with ‘embedded’ intelligence... real cyber security... exploring novel electronic concepts... developing sensing techniques at living cell level... medical robotics... The limits are only set by the boundaries of our imagination. Join our international group of scientists who supervise over 250 research projects in these areas. Master’s students always play an active part in this research. Our two-year Master’s programmes offer coursework
and substantial research experience, all with a dose of design and an emphasis on the societal implications of our work. Nerds? We are happy to be the most human-friendly, enthusiastic, out-of-the-box-thinking and serious group of nerds around!
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programme Develop new methods and technologies for high-tech electronics-based systems! Electrical engineering challenges you in nanotechnology, robotics, electronics, telecommunication or biomedical systems. us to create micro labs. Integrated circuit design is yet another research focus, and we are also working on advanced control technology for drones. Additional projects include body area networks (wireless sensor networks in and around a human body to provide information about body parameters and movements) and air-flow meters based on micro electro-mechanical systems (mems). As an electrical engineer, you can use your high-tech expertise in almost all technological areas to work towards a safer, healthier and more sustainable world.
The Master’s programme in Electrical Engineering teaches you how modern technology can be used to further enhance, accelerate or scale down electronicsbased systems. Your work and commitment will result in high-tech applications in nanotechnology, robotics, electronics, biomedical and telecommunication technology. Our research focuses on many areas. We are advancing lab-on-a-chip technology, which enables
The programme in Electrical Engineering will develop your knowledge and skills in research, design and organization, enabling you to discover where your own strengths lie. You can tailor the bulk of the programme to suit your own personal interests.
Work towards a safer, healthier and more sustainable world
SPECIALIZATIONS Biometrics and Medical Imaging This specialization focuses on signal processing and pattern recognition. These signals are obtained from all kinds of scanning sources such as MRI, CT and X-ray, from conventional digital cameras, and from arrays of touch sensors. The signals are in fact information carriers. They can be 1-D time signals, 2-D images, 3-D data sets or 4-D moving structures. The objective is to retrieve the information from the signals. In other words, to recognize diseases based on medical images, identify thieves based on security camera footage, or recognize a gun owner based on fingerprints.
Communication Networks A dependable system is a system that has been designed to satisfy the changing requirements of its users. You will learn to design and implement dependable networked systems. The primary focus is on communication systems (wired, wireless, or embedded
in other systems) as well as on methods and techniques to support the design and dimensioning of such systems. All of this is done to ensure their dependability in all phases of their lifecycle (availability, reliability, performance and security).
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Dependable Integrated Systems A dependable system is a system that has been designed to satisfy the changing requirements of its users. Whereas the specialization in Communication Networks concentrates on communication systems, the emphasis of the specialization in Dependable Integrated Systems is on computer architectures. Topics include streaming applications in the highperformance high-tech domain (e.g. phased array antenna systems, medical image processing and signal processing on board of satellites), architectures for embedded systems and on ICT for energy management (e.g. smart grids).
Lab-on-a-chip Systems for Biomedical and Environmental Applications
Devices for Integrated Circuits This specialization teaches you all about silicon circuit technology. The primary focus areas are: IC processing: - CMOS wafer post-processing - can we fabricate new components on top of a microchip? - Novel devices – can we incorporate LEDs, high-quality passives, gas sensors etc. into a CMOS process? - Nanotechnology, such as novel thin films, nanocrystal memories, ultrathin silicon, and silicon nanowires Device characterization and reliability: - Novel characterization methods to measure the capacitance-voltage relationship - Improving characterization methods to measure contact resistances - Reliability of MOS devices, interconnect, and novel devices Device physics and modelling: - Ultra-thin silicon – how can we understand and model silicon now that it is practically no longer threedimensional? - What techniques can we employ to model a bulkacoustic-wave resonator? - How can we model silicon LEDs?
A ‘Lab-on-a-Chip’ (LoC) consists of electrical, fluidic, and optical functions integrated in a microsystem, and has applications in (bio)chemical and medical fields. The core of the lab-on-a-chip system is a microfluidic channel structure, through which fluid samples of less than a nanolitre are propelled by hydraulic, electrokinetic or surface forces. The fluid sample is then analysed by the circuitry of the ‘lab’. These LoCs can be used for diagnostic devices in clinical measurements and in life sciences, experiments on the micrometre to the nanometre scale, microreactors, for the manipulation and analysis of cells and biomolecules and in tissue engineering. You will learn more about nanofluidics and nanosensing, and about new microand nanotechnologies for Lab-on-a-Chip systems and the potential of LoC applications.
Neurotechnology and Biomechatronics The focus of the specialization in Neurotechnology and Biomechatronics is on neural engineering, on interfacing with the neural system and on monitoring and influencing body functions through such interfaces. Research is conducted on three levels: - The cellular and network level: neuro-electronic interfacing of live neural tissue on electrode substrates, learning and memory in cultured circuits, neural endcap prosthesis. - The human function level: neuromodulation and dynamic identification applied to pain, motor control and heart function; diagnosis, functional support and neurofeedback training in rehabilitation. - The healthcare level: telemedicine. Remote monitoring and remotely supervised treatment using wearable interfaces and ICT systems.
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Nanoelectronics (NE)
Telecommunication Engineering
The specialization in Nanoelectronics comprises the study of the electronic and magnetic properties of systems with critical dimensions at the nanoscale, i.e. sub ~100 nm. Hybrid inorganic-organic electronics, spin electronics and quantum electronics are important subfields of nanoelectronics. This specialization combines aspects of Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, and Nanotechnology.
The focus of the specialization in Telecommunication Engineering is on optical signal processing and networks, mobile communications, microwave techniques and radiation from ICs and PCBs. This specialization examines:
Robotics and Mechatronics The specialization in Robotics and Mechatronics deals with the application of modern systems and control methods in practical situations. Its focus is on robotics as a specific class of mechatronic systems. The robot application areas include inspection robotics (UAVs, UGV, UUVs), medical robotics (assistance to surgeons), and service robotics (street cleaning, service to people). The science and engineering topics you’ll work on include modelling and simulation of physical systems, intelligent control, robotic actuators, and embedded control systems.
Short-Range Radio (SRR) The demand for ad-hoc networks, personal area networks (PANs) and Body Area Networks (BANs) is growing exponentially. A PAN is defined as a computer network used for communication among computer devices close to one person. Body Area Networks have an even closer personal proximity. A BAN consists of a set of mobile and compact intercommunicating sensors, wearable, implanted, or even ingestible into the human body, that monitor vital body parameters and movements. The main issues in this research area (which we call Short-Range Radio - SRR) are low power consumption, resistance to interference, on-chip integration (including the antenna) and overall costs.
The future holds great promise for engineers who can develop new techniques for creating repeatable, reproducible and accurate high field strengths Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) The EMC research group’s primary areas of focus include modelling of radiated emission and immunity of circuits at IC and PCB level, signal integrity of highspeed electronic circuits, developing test techniques for high-intensity electromagnetic fields, and combining two or more numerical methods for optimum prediction of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). An upcoming area of interest is intentional EMI, or EM terrorism. The future holds great promise for engineers who can develop new techniques for creating repeatable, reproducible and accurate high field strengths. Transducers, Science and Technology The specialization in Transducers, Science and Technology is concerned with three-dimensional nanofabrication and microfabrication based on topdown lithography methods. The research group is currently working on three generations of fabrication technologies: - Microtechnology - Nanotechnology - Self-assembly
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Admission requirements Dutch HBO students
Dutch university students
Candidates holding a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study from a Dutch HBO are eligible for admission upon completion of a pre-Master’s programme.
Students with other relevant Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Twente or another Dutch University will be considered for admission, conditions may apply.
University of Twente students
More detailed admission requirements are available at www.utwente.nl/master/ee
Students holding a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from a Dutch University of Technology, Advanced Technology or Physics (University of Twente) are qualified for admission.
International students International students with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Physics or a related field of study and a CGPA of at least 75% of the maximum score are invited to apply for admission. In addition international students need to pass an English language test.
Career OPPORTUNITIES The Master’s programme in Electrical Engineering provides you the knowledge and skills you will need to be successful in almost any area of technology. It is an innovative engineering discipline in which you’ll develop new methods and technologies. Electrical engineers are highly employable, largely because they aren’t trained in a specific vocation but are qualified in a specific branch of science. Without Electrical Engineers there would be no cars, aircraft, mobile phones, tablets, PCs or TVs. own future based on your personal interests, whether you’d like to be a researcher, a designer (developer of new products and services) or an organizer (managing an engineering department or providing consultancy services).
This Master’s programme at the University of Twente offers a wide variety of specializations. You’ll build your
Many programme graduates start their careers in R&D departments. Our research groups enjoy close ties with big companies like Philips, ASML, NXP (semi conductors) and Thales, but also with SMEs. These ties might help you find your first job, often with an internship as a first step. You might also decide to specialize further by becoming a PhD researcher with one of our research groups. You could then go to work as a specialist for a company, or start your own business as many of our past graduates have done.
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Student’s Touch ‘I feel like this programme turns you into the type of problem-solver that Electrical Engineering in Twente aims to deliver’ NAME Dirk-Jan van den Broek
Although this leaflet was compiled with the utmost care, no rights can be derived from its contents.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN the Netherlands
Dirk-Jan received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Twente and then decided to do the Master’s in Electrical Engineering as well. He chose the Microsystems and Microelectronics specialization. After his studies, he might want to do a PhD in IC-design. “I always felt I was not the type for a PhD, since I am very pragmatic and I prefer to be implementing rather than researching. However, implementation and research turn out to be so tightly linked in this field, that the activities within the research department of a company are quite similar to those within a research group at the university.” “I chose to do the Master’s in Microsystems and Microelectronics because my interests lie in the core of electronics: the smart, elegant circuit designs that are part of every electronic device. This Master’s programme focuses on the mixed-signal and analogue systems and circuits, with a touch of programming but always with knowledge and feel of the hardware. I feel like this programme turns you into the type of problem-solver that Electrical Engineering in Twente aims to deliver. I found the System-on-Chip course to be particularly exciting and educational. I spent half of the course in a team where we had to work on an industry-style project. Our assignment was to build a software-defined FM
CONTACT For general information about the Master’s programme or the University of Twente, as well as for questions about the application form of your enrolment status, please contact:
University of Twente Study Information Desk Phone: +31 (0)53 489 5489 master@utwente.nl www.utwente.nl/master
radio, which means digitizing the entire FM band containing all FM radio channels, and then doing all other processing digitally: selecting the channel you want to hear, demodulate the chosen channel, combine the mono and stereo signal and convert it into a bitstream to be converted to audible sound. Building on the work of previous years, we got the ‘job’ done, which felt good and I learned a lot in the process.”